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Community crèche idea to be explored

15 December 2014

A crèche facility could continue at our Ashbourne Leisure Centre - provided by the local community.

Councillors heard at a meeting last Thursday that low numbers meant the existing crèche was losing thousands of pounds a year and that the two members of staff who operate the facility had accepted voluntary redundancy from 19 December.

But after receiving a petition to save the crèche, signed by more than 150 local people, the District Council's Corporate Committee agreed to explore the potential for a community crèche initiative based at the leisure centre.

In the full year before a fire disrupted services at the centre last July, the crèche lost around £7,000 and was attended, on average, by fewer than 12 children every week.

But last week's committee heard from campaigners that a crèche could potentially operate successfully at the leisure centre given the right amount of promotion.

"The swimming pool will reopen in the next few weeks following the devastating fire last summer and, thanks to external funding for a new changing village and extended gym, Ashbourne Leisure Centre is now in the best shape in its history.

"We are willing to work with the community to provide a crèche, but, with local government finances being so tight right now, we cannot afford to continue to operate it in the current manner."